re: You're Offered Home Brewed Beer ... Do You Tell Them The Truth?

People who make beer (I used to be one) know when they have made a bad batch. They also put a lot of effort into making different styles with different flavors. There are some I don't like, so naturally, there are some others won't like. I always told people I was sharing my beer with what I was trying to make, what I actually got taste, body, and color-wise. Most bad batches aren't really bad, they are just disappointing.

One of my favorite bad batches was an amber ale. It tasted chlorinated, kind of like pool water. Still, I kept a few bottles. I was talking about brewing with a friend who didn't brew and I asked him if he wanted to taste a failure. This was probably a year later. I popped open one of those failures and poured it into two glasses. It was hot, hadn't been in the refrigerator. It was delicious. At room temperature, it was a nice amber ale with a pronounced caramel taste, just what I had been trying to make. I chilled one and it still tasted like chlorine when it was cold. My friend took four with him and drank them hot.

I’m always brutally honest

Most of the home brews I have had have been good. Years ago, I used to make it and only stopped because my beer consumption went down and I got tired of washing the bottles.

When we moved, I found a case of a Guinness-like ale under the house. It had been there a while, but was still quite good.

Personally, I think honesty matters, but kindness matters just as much. I’d more than likely thank them for the offer, take a sip and if it’s not for me, I’d gently say it’s not my usual taste—while still appreciating the effort they put into it.